Dear Members,

I have uploaded a small zipped file containing all the 205 messages posted
to the group in 2008. You can download it from:

  http://ca.geocities.com/palistudy/psgy08.zip

It contains a plain text file in UTF-8 format so you will need a compatible
Unicode font to read some of the special Pali characters. The use of Unicode
in the messages seems to be working out okay for the most part. There may be
a problem for those who receive the messages in daily digests where those
characters may show up as question marks. Members have the option of posting
their messages in Unicode, Velthuis, or in the HK convention for the special
characters or any combination of the three. I have included an index of the
subject lines and a list of contributors in the 2008 zipped file just as I
did for 2007.

During 2008, we lost 3 members and gained 3. In addition, 3 members with
invalid addresses were removed. For 2009 so far, 2 more have joined us
including Prof. Steven Collins of the University of Chicago (thanks to
Justin).

As the list has become a lot quieter since Eisel left us last August, I
thought that in order to keep the list active during slack times I should
post quotes from the Tipi.taka. As an experiment, I will soon begin posting
1 or 2 verses (in serial order) from the Dhammapada once a week when the
list is quiet. I will include the Pali text, a translation by K.R. Norman
from his The Word of the Doctrine, followed by comments and observations
that I might like to add. And members, if they wish, can also add comments,
questions, or suggestions of their own.

Best wishes,
Jim